Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Tobias Frööjd
Frööjd 1
Abstract
My aim for this paper is to analyse the character Jeeves' obsession with perfect clothing in
P. G. Wodehouse's The Inimitable Jeeves (1923). My method has been to study the historical
context of the British aristocracy at the time of the first publication of the book in 1923, as
well as the previous four decades during which the author grew up and decisive changes in
the British class society took place. This paper studies sources on the significance of clothing
in general, and examines its importance at the time in particular. For my analysis I have
borrowed elements from new historicism. The norms, traditions and values of the aristocracy
lost in importance during this time, and the aristocracy was divided into individuals who were
willing to adopt to these changes and others who fought to defy them. My conclusion is that
Jeeves considers the strict dress codes to be an important symbol of the old aristocratic values
that he has to defend, in order to legitimize his own position, as he is profoundly devoted to
his calling of being a first class valet faithful to the old traditions. Wooster, then, acts as
Jeeves' opponent on the matter as he embodies the part of the aristocracy willing to embrace
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Theoretical Framework 4
Historical Context 7
Analysis 15
Conclusion 21
Works Cited 24
Frööjd 3
Introduction
Well, there was only one thing to do, and I did it. I'm not saying it didn't hurt,
but there was no alternative. “Jeeves” I said, “those spats.” “Yes, sir?” “You
really dislike them?” “Intensely, sir.” “You don't think time might induce you
to change your views?” “No, sir.” “All right, then. Very well. Say no more. You
may burn them.” “Thank you very much, sir. I have already done so. Before
breakfast this morning. A quiet grey is far more suitable, sir. Thank you, sir”
(Wodehouse 204).
While reading P. G. Wodehouse's The Inimitable Jeeves (1923), I became aware of the
emphasis put on clothing in the story, and how this is manifested by the uncompromising
opinions of Jeeves, the valet. The character of Jeeves could actually be described as
uncompromising in every matter, as no aspect of his duty is left to chance and his perfection
as a valet is widely recognized in London's high society. Although Jeeves is obviously loyal to
his master, there is one matter where he simply will not yield. When Wooster ignores his
guidelines on proper clothing, Jeeves displays a defiant coldness against his master until his
My aim with this paper is to analyse why the question of clothing is so fundamental to
Jeeves, that it makes it the only thing able to strain his otherwise stoic patience with his
master. My thesis statement is that Jeeves, being renowned for his impeccable
professionalism, passionately tries to uphold and protect these very strict and exclusive dress
codes as they symbolize the old, elaborated aristocratic traditions that were under severe
threat during this time in history. The same threat was indirectly pointed at Jeeves and his
honour too, as without these traditions being kept alive, most of his reputation as “the best
valet in London” would fade. Since Jeeves regards Wooster to be first of all a
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member of the aristocracy, with an obligation to uphold the aristocratic values of appearance,
then any individual traits might diminish Wooster's level of commitment to these values.
Wooster, then, acts as Jeeves' opponent on the matter as he instead embodies the part of the
Theoretical Framework
The perspective for my analysis will borrow elements from new historicism, as I
intend to create an understanding of Jeeves' actions by interpreting the historical, cultural and
class-based circumstances at play in the story. Stephen Greenblatt explains his view on new
historicism in Kiernan Ryan's New Historicism and Cultural Materialism (1996) by stating:
New historicism, by contrast, eschews the use of the term “man”; interest lies
not in the abstract universal but in particular, contingent cases, the selves
fashioned and acting according to the generative rules and conflicts of a given
gender, religion, race and national identity, are constantly effecting changes in
the course of history. Indeed if there is any inevitability in the new historicism's
flight are significant social actions, but so is staying put, minding one's
business, turning one's face to the wall. Agency is virtually inescapable (55).
The concepts of class and culture will be closely intertwined in my analysis, as most of the
cultural behaviour I concentrate on is based on class. The historical concept will be used both
to describe the conflicts but also to interpret the different intentions and consequences related
to the actions of the two characters Wooster and Jeeves. Greenblatt continues:
Frööjd 5
Inescapable but not simple: new historicism, as I understand it, does not posit
single are disclosed as multiple; the apparently isolated power of the individual
stabilize the order of things may turn out to subvert it (Ryan 55).
This paragraph offers plenty of points to be made on the analysis of the argument between
Wooster and Jeeves. Jeeves' struggle comes from the social energy within the “culture” that he
effects of this culture, and it is questionable whether Jeeves' strict manners will save his
How then might Wodehouse's perspective on the changes in his contemporary society
differ from ours? Gallagher and Greenblatt writes in Practicing New Historicism (2000):
space ... is powerfully attractive for several reasons. It carries the core
hermeneutical presumption that one can occupy a position from which one can
discover meanings that those who left traces of themselves could not have
articulated ... something that the authors we study would not have had the
sufficient distance upon themselves and their own era to grasp (8).
Today we have the advantage of some ninety years of history having past after the first
publication of The Inimitable Jeeves (1923). Still, Wodehouse had a way of producing
escapist stories with few remarks of past events or predictions for the future. The focus is on a
present that happens to be situated at a certain inconstant time in history that is in itself made
Frööjd 6
Even though the terms of the British class society is of vital importance in
Wodehouse's many books about Wooster and Jeeves, my analysis will abstain from any claims
regarding Wodehouse's possible view on the class values depicted in his books. It is true that
the relationship between Wooster and Jeeves promotes a highly ironic view on class society,
as the master is presented as being so obviously inferior to his servant in every aspect of his
character. Even though this might appear to be an obviously critical view, Kirby Olson
suggests in his journal article “Bertie and Jeeves at the End of History: P. G. Wodehouse as
Political Scientist” (1996) that “[w]here Marx sought the withering away of hostile classes;
and many of his successors sought their active obliteration … Wodehouse finds competition
between groups to be the motor that drives society; it is that which makes society chaotic and
disturbing, but also fun and worthwhile” (86). Irrespective of what Wodehouse might have
felt about these values, they were obviously of great interest or concern to him, as he would
portray them so frequently, using prejudices about classes and contrasting values for
humoristic effect.
contemporary with the first publication of The Inimitable Jeeves (1923), as well as on the four
decades prior to this, during which P. G. Wodehouse was born and raised. First, I will review
the dramatic changes that the British aristocracy and their employees experienced starting in
the 1880s, and how this caused a diversion where some embraced, or at least accepted, these
dramatic changes of society while others stubbornly tried to protect the last remains of a
glorious past. I will then apply this context on my analysis of The Inimitable Jeeves (1923),
presenting how the two characters of Wooster and Jeeves could be said to represent these two
specific and decisive part of history. Wodehouse wrote about a society that was contemporary
to him, and which had seen such great changes during his lifetime. The concepts of class and
culture concerns the old traditional codes and values specific for the aristocracy. Those are the
ones that came under threat as a result of the great changes in society, and they are ultimately,
in the form of non-negotiable dress codes, the source of Jeeves' and Wooster's disagreements.
One reason why clothing could prove such an important means of preserving
traditional values in a changing time can be found in Diana Crane's Fashion and Its Social
In the light of imminent changes, the significance of already strict codes increased, especially
when deemed essential to demonstrate a clear distance between one's own group and other
groupings.
Historical Context
characters of Wooster and Jeeves, I would like to start by referring to David Cannadine's
exhaustive work The Decline And Fall of the British Aristocracy (1996). Cannadine argues
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that the radical changes of British class society actually started already in the 1880s, and “[b]y
1914, exclusive, aristocratic society had been transformed so fundamentally that it was no
longer clear that it existed in its traditional sense” (351). What was it then that had changed,
and what sparked the change? Cannadine states that the wealth and power of the British
aristocracy up until the last quarter of the nineteenth century was based on vast ownership of
land. According to the statistics that he uses, some 7 000 families owned four-fifths of the
land of the British Isles in the late 1870s, all of these estates counting a minimum of 1 000
acres each. (9). The families that owned the most formidable assets in this group formed the
aristocracy. As Cannadine writes, “[v]iewed as an economic class, the gentry and grandees
were thus both the wealth élite in that they encompassed most of the richest men in the
country, and the territorial élite in that they owned most of the land in Britain” (10).
Besides claiming most of the wealth in the Kingdom, the aristocracy also had a claim
to considerable political strength. It was simply considered obvious before the 1880s that
anyone who were to be trusted with a position and influence must come from the noble and
educated ranks of society. Zygmunt Bauman explains this in Between Class and Elite (1972)
by stating “[t]he middle classes felt respect for the hierarchical traditions and shibboleths of
the aristocracy, and an almost superstitious fear of storming the castles that were their
historical possessions ... In the political sphere it retained its monopoly of the key positions in
Given that the British society of the time obviously provided these aristocrats with a
serious amount of privileges and political influence, it may look astonishing that they were to
lose so much of their power in such a relatively short period of time. It is often said that the
traumatic experience of the First World War changed British society forever. Although this is
considered to be a well known fact, Cannadine writes, as stated before, that the aristocratic
Frööjd 9
society had transformed fundamentally already at the breakout of war in 1914. What actually
the sudden and dramatic collapse of the agricultural base of the European
economy, partly because of the massive influx of cheap foreign goods from
North and South America and the Antipodes, and partly because of the final
For this reason, the financial advantage of the aristocrats that had seemed virtually
untouchable just a few years earlier had begun to crumble. It is true that a lot of them had
invested in important areas of the new economy, for example the industry and the railroad, but
the backbone of their wealth had still always been the income of their land. With high
expenses for their luxurious lifestyle, it is clear that the reality of the aristocracy as a
whole was in for a dramatic change. Paul Thompson states in The Edwardians: the Remaking
the open display of wealth was an essential element in the upper-class style of
life. Wealth, birth and manners constituted the three prime qualifications for
commanding obedience and respect from others. Although many of the rich
already wintered abroad, most of their money was spent in Britain on highly
entertaining (3).
Unfortunately for them, what caused this economical decline, and in many cases an
impoverishment of lifestyle, also caused a serious decline in political and social influence, as
explained by Cannadine:
and the British Isles. The increasingly prosperous and assertive middle class
shaded imperceptibly into the new and fabulously rich international plutocracy.
By the last quarter of the nineteenth century, these men were no longer satisfied
with mere wealth: they craved both the political power and the social
recognition to which they believed their fortunes entitled them. At the same
time, urban and industrial growth brought into being a new world of strikes and
riots, socialists and anarchists, and working class political parties … At the
same time that the economy became global, politics became democratized (26).
One can easily imagine the sense of humiliation and despair that self-proclaimed guardians of
the old order must have felt in the face of these changes. Once, real wealth and influence was
reserved for the people who, to their own mind, were best fit to handle it. They were of course
people of their own kind and taste, sharing their values and their sense of class and heritage.
They were also people who had gone to the finest public schools and universities, who had
learned the proper way of speaking, thinking and acting. Undoubtedly, many in this class of
people saw themselves as living national treasures, the pride of the nation as a whole.
In the wake of these changes, several members of this former élite had to see
themselves being surpassed by the newly rich. These were the people who, despite being
highly successful in business, were still looked down on for lacking the refinement and
heritage of the aristocracy. Still, they were the ones who were willing and able to buy the
properties that some of the aristocrats were forced to sell. Art collections, land and estates that
might have been in the same families for centuries were now sold to people without any
relating history or affection. A number of magnificent palaces and town houses in central
London were bought by opportunists just to be demolished and replaced by hotels, flats,
Frööjd 11
offices and shops. Just like the aristocracy had been deprived of their dominance in wealth
and political influence, they were also losing their dominance over high society.
From the 1880s onwards, this carefully integrated and functionally significant
social system began to break down. In London high society, the aristocratic
monopoly was broken, as the new super-rich stormed the citadels of social
exclusiveness, and flaunted their parvenu wealth with opulent and irresistible
This “vulgarity” provoked members of the aristocracy to express a clear distaste for the way
they felt the newly rich tried to gain prestige and recognition by wasting huge amounts of
money on ostentatious parties and events. It is noteworthy how these changes must have
affected the aristocracy's perception of themselves. Without any doubt, different individuals
tackled this in different manners. Some accepted this new order, whether reluctantly or even
secretly in relief. It is likely that younger individuals were more prone to accept this order as
they would be the first to mingle across the social boundaries that their parents had never
tread upon. After all, there were still a lot of young and rich aristocrats who were drawn to the
night life that was by now dominated by non-aristocrats. “[b]y the 1890's, the aristocratic
“man about town” was a well known phenomenon. He spent his days (and nights) in sporting
clubs and near the stage door, mixed with book-keepers and racing journalists, squandered his
allowance, and got into all kinds of mischief” (Cannadine 348). To mingle with the lower
classes was one thing, yet something even more astonishing was the fact that the aristocratic
men increasingly started to marry outside their class, a behaviour that would have been
considered nothing less than a social scandal just a few decades earlier (Cannadine 347).
Others would of course reject this as a part of the degradation that they saw in their
contemporary society. As they witnessed the noble wealthy class from just a few decades ago
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being largely replaced by, in their mind, a crowd of uncivilised and vulgar newcomers, they
decided to emphasize and cherish the things they considered being exclusively theirs: true
class and heritage. For them it was natural to despise the newly rich and the adventurers for
their lack of good taste and manners as well as marking a clear distance to their lot.
Within social classes, individuals compete for social distinction and cultural
capital on the basis of their capacity to judge the suitability of cultural products
which include both knowledge of culture and critical abilities for assessing and
So, if one wanted to keep certain people out of an exclusive class, these practices,
including dress codes, were a means of doing so. They were also vital for maintaining the
sense of common purpose within the group. Thompson mentions these strict dress codes in
The Edwardian gentleman, too, needed a full wardrobe: … They had to take
appropriate for a particular moment. Brown boots, for example, could be worn
at Ascot, but no nearer town. Like blue spotted ties, they were for country wear.
In London itself one had to be careful in case one's dress was right for the place
When a member of the aristocracy challenged these rules and became more liberal in clothing
and appearance, his or her initiative, in a way, actually posed a threat to the whole shared
“the reproduction of the existing social class culture” (Crane 7), it is of course not only vital
to pass it on to the new generations, but also to keep it a priority for all members of the group.
Once again, this is precisely the commitment that I suggest that Jeeves has made.
Of course, not all of the newly rich were even interested in trying to achieve the
standards of the most conservative-minded aristocrats. Instead, they were free to seek out
different ways of expressing their status and enjoying themselves, irrespective to the, to their
mind, oppressive standards of the decreasingly influential aristocracy. This is the freedom that
Wooster seems to be longing for, and that recurrently creates a tension when colliding with
There was also an important aspect of masculinity to what a gentleman was supposed
to wear. One reason why old-fashioned aristocrats disliked colourful and expressive garments
in men's dressing at this time, was because it was historically associated with women's
clothing.
The slow advance of masculine mode in the last two hundred years has made
men more likely victims than women of this desire to resist fashion, but they
also have social and moral tradition behind them in the form of conventional
natural weakness of women, something they could not help. This view was
became so much more different in fabric, trim and construction. Elegant men´s
clothing during this time was actually no less complex, demanding, and
looked. Women´s clothing was extremely expressive, almost literary, and very
This notion was so remarkably strong that even the snipers of the First World War found
camouflage. John Potvin writes in The Places And Spaces of Fashion, 1800-2007 (2009):
Yet this unconventional and feminized decoration of the head with straw,
leaves, and even flowers saved lives on the battlefield. Public perception of the
popular song called Camouflage, or the Tale of the sorrowful sniper, a Cockney
sniper is dressed for battle in a “coiffure” “trimmed” with grass and hay like a
Even if Jeeves' concern about Wooster's style is purely based on following the
traditional dress code of the aristocracy, it would be relevant to analyse the background of
some of these codes, as it is always the colour, or “expressiveness” of the garments that
causes Jeeves to react. “I turned round and Jeeves shied like a startled mustang...“The effect,
sir, is loud in the extreme” (Wodehouse 26). There is nothing in the text that suggests that
contrary, when arguing with Jeeves about a waistband, he says “I consider that it has rather a
Spanish effect. A touch of the hidalgo. Sort of Vicente y Blasco What´s-his name stuff. The
Jolly old hidalgo off to the bull fight” (26). When mentioning bullfighting, Wooster of course
addresses a sense of masculinity in his garment. The problem is that even if bullfighting is a
symbol of masculinity and heroism in the Spanish culture sphere, which is also acknowledged
in the rest of the world, the style of clothing itself might simply appear rather feminine to
British society contemporary with Wooster and Jeeves. The focus on colours, embroidery,
tassels and tights resembles the idea of British women's clothing traditionally being
“extremely expressive, almost literary, and very deliberately decorative and noticeable”, while
Frööjd 15
men's clothing were “more subdued and abstract in the way it looked” (Hollander 360). As
Hollander discusses the “conventional male superiority to female folly” (360), she offers this
as an explanation on why men were supposed to dress elegant rather than modish.
a feminine weakness – possibly a feminine wile, a form of black art ... For men
elegant dress (not just decent clothes) was necessary to sustain rank and
dignity. One owed it to one's audience not to masquerade as poor if one were
rich, not to violate degree in outward appearance and upset social morality.
Proper attention to dress was a sign of self-respect and respect for the order of
things (361).
Although Wooster is merely trying to inject something individual in his style, this would harm
the “order of things” in Jeeves' opinion. Even if both of them regard the question to be purely
of taste and not gender, it appears as the strict, male dress code that Jeeves is promoting owes
its view of elegance as opposing modishness to traditional ideas about masculinity that were
Analysis
P. G. Wodehouse's The Inimitable Jeeves was first published in 1923. We learn that
Wooster is a young aristocrat living a comfortable life in the upper class society of London.
He lives on an allowance from his family, has no job nor any intention to get one. Instead he
starts every day by sleeping through the morning. His waking hours are spent on mingling
Frööjd 16
with his friends, who share the same lifestyle, going to clubs, golfing, travelling and so on.
The only expectations placed on him by his environment is his aunt's firm opinion that he
aught to be married soon, naturally to an eligible woman from a respected family. This is
however of no interest to Wooster, who is quite happy with a life free from obligations for as
long as he can maintain things that way. In order to avoid his aunt's interference, he can trust
to his loyal and remarkably intelligent valet Jeeves. Jeeves is depicted as the ideal valet. His
knowledge and dedication to every aspect of his profession seem boundless and, with a great
deal of integrity, he cunningly solves any given problem, mostly in a discrete manner. He has,
however, quite firm and conservative opinions on how Wooster should dress and appear as a
gentleman.
Here we find an example of the differences in values between the two characters.
Wooster represents the new order of things; even though his wealth and privileged lifestyle
are a result of his family's aristocratic heritage, he has little interest in strict codes and
manners. His life is all about enjoying himself, and experimenting with a few elements of his
wardrobe is for him a harmless contribution to this purpose. Jeeves, on the other hand, has an
intense distaste for any garment compromising with his own conservative views on proper
clothing for a gentleman. For Jeeves it is really a question of perfection. Not even a pair of
Throughout the book there is a recurring situation where Wooster has bought some
kind of garment that causes Jeeves severe distress. It might be a purple pair of socks, a
brightish scarlet waistband or a pair of spats in Etonian colours. Jeeves will then plead to his
master not to show himself dressed like that in public. However, Wooster will usually not let
himself be lectured, at least not to begin with. This forces Jeeves to accept the situation, for
the time being, with a cold “very well, sir”. These situations are the only ones where there is a
Frööjd 17
sense of disagreement between the two of them. Wooster notes that Jeeves is keeping his cold
attitude even after the question has, to Wooster's mind, been settled. Of course, Jeeves will
still see to his duties in his typical impeccable way, but his frosty position will not be altered
as long as Wooster is holding on to the garment in question. Complete peace will simply not
be restored until Wooster is forced to ask Jeeves for assistance in one of the many
inconveniences that Wooster is destined to find himself entangled in. Jeeves will, of course,
take care of matters, and as a sign of gratitude Wooster then decides to follow Jeeves' advice
to let go of the piece of clothing in question. This is always the way these situations are
solved, but that does not prevent them from recurring time and again.
Wooster, as well as his friends and family members of similar age, seem to fit quite
well with the term “man about town” (Cannadine 348) previously mentioned on page 11. This
in the sense that they are practically standing with one foot in each world as they are
depending on their traditional bound families to provide them with their maintenance but not
willing to be restricted by these very traditions. One eloquent example from The Inimitable
Jeeves (1923) is when Bingo, Wooster's old friend from school, involves Wooster in a
complicated plan for making Bingo's uncle accepting Bingo marrying a simple waitress
without the uncle withdrawing his allowance (Wodehouse 16). Wooster's own major family-
related problem is, ironically enough, a planned marriage to a girl from a family “above
suspicion” that could “counterbalance the deficiencies and weaknesses” of his character (46).
The family, especially my Aunt Agatha, who has savaged me incessantly from
childhood up, have always rather made a point of the fact that mine is a wasted
life, and that, since I won the price at my first school for the best collection of
wild flowers made during the summer holidays, I haven't done a dam' thing to
have a hard time understanding why he should be hindered from enjoying himself. This also
goes for his appearance. The recurring situations when discussing proper style with Jeeves
show their great differences in opinion on the matter. Why then is it so important for Jeeves to
make sure that his master's appearance is impeccable down to the last detail? Obviously,
Wooster is making his way in a society where these excessively strict dress codes are
acknowledged by a diminishing number of people. Probably, few would hold it against him,
or even notice, if he were to bend the rules just a bit every now and then. I would suggest that
this could be explained by Jeeves regarding Wooster as being first and foremost a
representative of the aristocratic class that he has found as his call in life to serve. It does not
seem to matter to Jeeves if the people that Wooster mixes with, or even Wooster himself, fail
to see the point of these codes. This view could be interpreted as follows: in order to keep the
few precious remains of a glorious past alive, there simply must be an aura of exclusiveness
preserved for the aristocrats. With the determination and passion that Jeeves has invested in
his calling, what would be the point of all of his perfection, the minute endeavours and the
pride that he can take in being a “topping valet... none better in London” (225) if his master
suggesting that it is first and foremost Wooster's social position that Jeeves is paying his
loyalty and respect to, as Wooster's sophistication and intellectual abilities are far below those
of his servant. Throughout the book, Wooster is left dumbfounded by the twists and turns of
Jeeves' cunning. Kirby Olson writes in “Bertie and Jeeves at the End of History: P. G.
Wodehouse as Political Scientist” (1996), that “Jeeves' ministering to his master's every wish
allows him to get a bead on Bertie to the point that he can anticipate and even invent his
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master's needs. Bertie is the master, but he is completely dependent on the slave, Jeeves.
Therefore, Jeeves is the one with true freedom, because he has no true master” (73). Jeeves is
hence well aware of his master's shortcomings. At one awkward moment Wooster happens to
overhear Jeeves instructing an understudy, who is to replace Jeeves during his two annual
weeks of vacation “”[y]ou will find Mr Wooster,” he was saying to the substitute chappie, “an
exceedingly pleasant and amiable young gentleman, but not intelligent. By no means
is thus described as “exceedingly pleasant and amiable”, but apart from that, not very
impressive or advanced. This would add to the notion that it is predominately his social
position that renders him respect. I suggest that these are the values that Jeeves is trying to
protect and retain. If the aristocracy were to completely lose its exclusiveness, much of
professionalism that makes him stand out; his attention to every detail and his ability to guide
and assist his master in every matter. Wooster acknowledges this on the very first page of The
He put the good old cup of tea softly on the table by my bed, and I took a
refreshing sip. Just right, as usual. Not too hot, not too sweet, not too weak, not
too strong, not too much milk, and not a drop spilled in the saucer. A most
amazing cove, Jeeves. So dashed competent in every respect. I've said it before,
and I'll say it again. I mean to say, take just one small instance. Every other
valet I've ever had used to barge into my room in the morning while I was still
asleep, causing much misery; but Jeeves seems to know when I'm awake by a
sort of telepathy. He always floats in with the cup exactly two minutes after I
Why then does Jeeves seem to concentrate on Wooster's clothing, above everything
else, to uphold the values of the aristocracy? Jeeves is aware of Wooster's intellectual
shortcomings, but that does not mean that Wooster could not, or should not, act and feel like
the gentleman of birth that he is. Even if there has, most likely, not occurred any alteration in
Jeeves' view on differences between the aristocracy and the non-aristocrats, it has become
much more important to stress these differences. Jeeves' impeccable, detailed sense of style is
something that the less refined cannot decode. They may have “stormed the citadels of social
exclusiveness” (Cannadine 342) but they could not obtain true class to the last, crucial details
any time soon. By dressing more deliberately than them, one might have demonstrated a
distance and a superiority to them. To learn these codes of taste and manners properly was of
course very time-consuming and hard, which helped to keep them exclusive. Yet another
Some dashed brainy cove, probably the chap who invented those coloured
cigarette-cases, had recently had the rather topping idea of putting out a line of
spats on the same system. I mean to say, instead of the ordinary grey and white,
you can now get them in your regimental or school colours. And, believe me, it
would have taken a chappie of stronger fibre than I am to resist the pair of Old
Etonian spats which had smiled up at me from inside the window. I was inside
the shop, opening negotiations, before it had even occurred to me that Jeeves
might not approve. And I must say he had taken the thing a bit hardly. The fact
of the matter is, Jeeves, though in many ways the best valet in London, is too
“Nothing further, Jeeves”, I said, with quiet dignity. “Very good, sir.” He gave
one frosty look at the spats and biffed off. Dash him! (Wodehouse 185).
Frööjd 21
Wooster is attracted to garments that can “cheer up” and “smile” to him, something with an
individual touch, for example his school colours. I want to argue that the question of
individuality verses the attributes of a group is of crucial importance here. Nathan Joseph
writes in his book Uniforms And Nonuniforms: Communication through Clothing (1986), that
tie, conservative or flashy, serves as an indication of the wearer's level of commitment to the
message conveyed by the suit” (qtd. in Crane 174). If Jeeves regards Wooster to be first of all
appearance, then any individual traits might diminish Wooster's “level of commitment” to
these values. There is obviously no room for individualism within this dress code, according
to Jeeves, as the belonging to the group in itself seems to be the most important asset of
identity for its members. Once again I interpret this as being a sign of Jeeves first and
foremost trying to protect the conservative values of the aristocratic class as a whole, with less
Conclusion
Wooster and Jeeves were portrayed during a period of our history when the British class
society had undergone extreme changes during a comparatively short period of time. The
privileged position of the aristocracy, both as regards wealth and social and political power,
was so strong up until the 1880s that it ought to have seemed unlikely that anything less than
a revolution could have turned the tables. Despite this, unforeseen effects of global trade and
changing social circumstances deprived the aristocracy of its dominance in economical, social
and political power. Suddenly, newly rich could buy their way into
Frööjd 22
environments where, to a large extent, the conservative and tradition-bound aristocracy were
used to dominate. The culture clash between a class that was used to judge others by their
heritage, and attend traditions and family holdings for centuries, and newcomers who
compensated their lack of history and manners with waste and show, was partially severe,
Wooster and Jeeves appear to take very different positions in this matter. Wooster's
main concern is to live an easy and enjoyable life, supported by his family's money. He is
really a rather simple-minded person, happy as long as he can go on with his business without
being burdened by responsibilities or demands. Jeeves, on the other hand, is in many ways
Wooster's contrast. He is profoundly devoted to his calling of being a first class valet. While
Wooster is simple-minded and plain, Jeeves is uncannily intelligent and nimble. It soon
becomes obvious in the story that one of Jeeves' most serious dedications is that of keeping
his master dressed to perfection according to Jeeves' own extremely strict sense of class.
Wooster, being rather more relaxed about the thing, is eager to find accessories and garments
in somewhat more lively colours to spice up his style, but Jeeves is relentless in his distaste
such resistance even to the most insignificant of details. This appears to be a matter of
principles well advanced into obsession, and I have tried to find out what the main reason for
this stunning determination could be. At first glance, it would be easy to assume that Jeeves,
in line with his professional attitude towards his duties, is simply eager to keep Wooster
properly dressed and respectable for the sake of Wooster's social rank and dignity. But
Wooster has few ambitions regarding social rank and dignity. He makes his way in a society
where his heritage has a descending importance, where he gets everything that he wants by
Frööjd 23
means of money instead of lineage. He is also a simple-minded person without any ambitions
for a career or a position of any kind. So, if both Wooster and the people he associates with
fail to see the reason behind Jeeves' strict codes of dressing, why is it still so desperately
My conclusion is that Jeeves first and foremost is trying to protect the old values of the
aristocratic class as a whole, where Wooster, as a member, must be forced to uphold these
values for the sake and principal of the whole group. Although Jeeves himself is no member
of the aristocracy, he is as dependent on, and faithful to, the old conservative values as any
member would be. He is the ideal valet, perfected in his profession. He is a master in his trade
with complete knowledge of every aspect, every professional secret there is. If the old order
would finally become extinct, his vocation would go with it, his passion for his trade would
become redundant.
We know that Jeeves is well aware of Wooster being “mentally negligible”, but this
does not matter, as Jeeves' loyalty and respect are based on Wooster's social position and the
honour that Jeeves recognizes in the relation between master and servant. In fact, if Jeeves
was to judge his master strictly by his personal qualities, much of Jeeves endeavours would
probably seem wasted. But this does not matter as long as Wooster is first and foremost
treated as the aristocrat that he, despite all, still is. He might not even understand the finesse
of the system that makes his valet able to shine in his profession, but this is not important as
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Crane, Diana. Fashion And Its Social Agendas- Class, Gender and Identity in Clothing.
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